diff --git a/xCAT-server/lib/xcat/Confluent/Client.pm b/xCAT-server/lib/xcat/Confluent/Client.pm
index 390f9ce82..c1b4e9208 100644
--- a/xCAT-server/lib/xcat/Confluent/Client.pm
+++ b/xCAT-server/lib/xcat/Confluent/Client.pm
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ sub ssl_connect {
     }
     $self->{handle} = IO::Socket::SSL->new(%sslargs);
     unless ($self->{handle}) {
-        die "Unable to reach target, $SSL_ERROR/$!";
+        return undef; 
     }
 }
 
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ sub new {
         $self->{handle} = $self->ssl_connect($serverlocation, @_);
     }
     unless ($self->{handle}) {
-        die "General failure connecting $!";
+        return undef; 
     }
     $self->{server} = Confluent::TLV->new($self->{handle});
     my $banner = $self->{server}->recv();
diff --git a/xCAT-server/lib/xcat/plugins/confluent.pm b/xCAT-server/lib/xcat/plugins/confluent.pm
index a46c4f8ce..07349fbfd 100644
--- a/xCAT-server/lib/xcat/plugins/confluent.pm
+++ b/xCAT-server/lib/xcat/plugins/confluent.pm
@@ -201,6 +201,13 @@ sub makeconfluentcfg {
   my $svboot=0;
   if (exists($req->{svboot})) { $svboot=1;}
   my $confluent = Confluent::Client->new();  # just the local form for now..
+  unless ($confluent) {
+    # unable to get a connection to confluent 
+    my $rsp;
+    $rsp->{data}->[0] = "Unable to open a connection to confluent, verify that confluent is running.";
+    xCAT::MsgUtils->message("E", $rsp, $cb);
+    return;
+  }
 
   my $isSN=xCAT::Utils->isServiceNode();
   my @hostinfo=xCAT::NetworkUtils->determinehostname();